The Bethesda Blog announces that development is complete on Dishonored, and Arkane's stealth/assassination game will be available for Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 on October 9th in North America and October 12th in Europe. They celebrate the news with a giveaway of "an extremely limited" Overseer mask and a signed copy of the game. Here's a description from the Dishonored website:

You are the once-trusted bodyguard of the Empress. Framed for her murder and driven by revenge, you must become an infamous assassin, known only by the disturbing mask that has become your calling card.

As you navigate a world torn apart by plague and oppressed by a government armed with strange new technologies, the truth behind your betrayal is as murky as the waters surrounding the city.

The choices you make will determine the fate of the world, but no matter what happens your old life is gone forever.

This one looks pretty neat and I'll always fondly remember Arkane because of Arx Fatalis. I'll be waiting though. I'm far too busy with Guild Wars 2, Torchlight 2, Planetside 2 (we sure like our sequels don't we?), and upcoming X-COM. There's also a beta with big stompy robots and another one with airplanes but I don't play those much.

Oh and there's also Kerbal Space Program. I had my fill with FTL. Once you beat it a few times with different ships the formula starts getting stale. It would be nice if the game was freeform open-world that allowed for space trading/piracy/and other cool Elite/Privateer stuff but with the gameplay of FTL. The same old end boss is just... blah.

When it comes to Steampunk I can take it or leave it - what matters most to me is how good the gameplay is. I liked Bioshock and LOVED Deus Ex, so this is looking like it cold be something special. I am impressed with the videos and previews for this but still I am waiting for the reviews from the media outlets who I distrust the least.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Mahatma Gandhi

Ray Marden wrote on Sep 29, 2012, 15:47:Otherwise...what else is there to play? Pandas? Another MoH military shooter? Another CoD military shooter? Another pointless AC release? The Doom retread? That crappy Nintendo system tablet?

I think I'll be fine for a while. I may even buy Assassin's Creed 3, since it looks to have the closest thing to an age of sail ship battle simulator that I'll see in some time, and I've been jonsing for some age of sail action for years.

Ray Marden wrote on Sep 29, 2012, 15:47:I pre-ordered from GMG for $48. I have enjoyed all of Arkane's games to date, this has some decent people working on it, and looks to be blending some parts from Thief and putting gthem into a steampunk-heavy version of the Half-Life world.

Truthfully, this is the game I am most looking forward to for the rest of the year and I hope it ends up being game of the year.

Otherwise...what else is there to play? Pandas? Another MoH military shooter? Another CoD military shooter? Another pointless AC release? The Doom retread? That crappy Nintendo system tablet?The made for 'tweens FC3?Noting most anything else I care about is pushed to 2013,Ray

Ray Marden wrote on Sep 29, 2012, 15:47:Otherwise...what else is there to play?

Borderlands 2 is pretty good, haven't even touched Torchlight 2. I feel the same about the new games this fall/winter, nothing terribly interesting. Time to work on that massive backlog of unplayed/unfinished games.

I pre-ordered from GMG for $48. I have enjoyed all of Arkane's games to date, this has some decent people working on it, and looks to be blending some parts from Thief and putting gthem into a steampunk-heavy version of the Half-Life world.

Truthfully, this is the game I am most looking forward to for the rest of the year and I hope it ends up being game of the year.

Otherwise...what else is there to play? Pandas? Another MoH military shooter? Another CoD military shooter? Another pointless AC release? The Doom retread? That crappy Nintendo system tablet?The made for 'tweens FC3?Noting most anything else I care about is pushed to 2013,Ray

I am still skeptical because its published by Bethesda. It comes down to when they lift the review embargo. If its on the day of release, game is a crap. If its a week before of release, game is great.

Bethesda published 4 games last year, of which Brink, Hunted: The Demon Forge, and Rage had on release day embargos. Only Skyrim had its embargo lifted a week earlier. Bethesda knows to hype the shit out of their games.

Sure not all games with release day embargoes are terrible, but Bethesda had a bad track record last year and I am judging them on this.

I'm optimistic about the game but I won't be pre-ordering it - there are just too many question marks I want to see answered. The pre-order bonuses are also weak sauce.

Most likely I'll pick it up when it goes on sale. I'll still be playing Borderlands 2 and then it won't be long before Far Cry 3 is released. The only way I might change my mind and buy it sooner is if it gets truly stunning reviews and user feedback.